About 80% Concerned About Funeral Costs, But Only 2% Know the Specific Amount - Gap Between Desire to Prepare and Reality Revealed

Anshin Shogaku Short Term Insurance Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture, Representative Director: Kenju Yamamoto) conducted a survey on funeral costs and insurance awareness with MICHIKO Inc. (Headquarters: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Representative Director CEO: Asumi Shimo).

Funerals are unavoidable life events, yet currently, few people possess accurate knowledge about their costs and how to prepare. This survey shed light on the awareness and anxiety surrounding funeral costs, interest in funeral insurance, and the status of discussions with family.

Only 2% Accurately Grasp the "Average Funeral Cost"

When asked, "Do you know the average cost of a funeral?", 43.0% (129 people) responded, "I've heard of it, but don't know the specific amount," which was the highest response. "I have no idea" accounted for 19.3% (58 people), meaning over 60% do not know the specific amount. On the other hand, only 2.0% (6 people) answered, "I know the specific amount."

Furthermore, in response to the question, "What do you think the average funeral cost is?", 38.3% (115 people) answered "Less than 1 million to 1.5 million yen," which was the largest group. This was followed by 27.0% (81 people) for "Less than 500,000 to 1 million yen" and 13.3% (40 people) for "Less than 1.5 million to 2 million yen."

This indicates that many people may face funerals with an ambiguous understanding of the costs.

About 80% Are "Anxious" About Funeral Costs, and the Payer Is Unclear

Regarding the question, "Are you anxious about your own or your family's funeral costs?", 47.7% (143 people) answered "Somewhat anxious," and 31.7% (95 people) answered "Very anxious," totaling 79.4% (238 people) who feel some level of anxiety.

When asked, "Who do you think will bear the funeral costs?", "The deceased's savings" was the most common answer at 25.3% (76 people). However, "I don't know who will bear the cost" was also significant at 19.0% (57 people). While many responses indicated family members would pay, such as "Spouse" at 21.3% (64 people) and "Children" at 16.3% (49 people), it appears that in many cases, the payer is not clearly decided.

Funeral Insurance Awareness is Low, with Only About 1% Knowing the Details

To the question, "Do you know about funeral insurance?", 48.0% (144 people) responded, "I've never heard of it," accounting for about half. "I've heard of it, but don't know the details" followed at 35.3% (106 people), with only 1.0% (3 people) answering, "I know the details well."

Regarding the question, "Are you interested in funeral insurance as a preparation for funerals?", 49.7% (149 people) answered "Not very interested," and 10.3% (31 people) answered "Not interested at all," indicating that about 60% are still not interested. However, 36.3% (109 people) responded "Somewhat interested," and 3.3% (10 people) responded "Very interested," suggesting that increased awareness could lead to approaches to potential interest groups.

If Choosing Funeral Insurance, "Monthly Premiums" and "Benefit Amount" Are Top Priorities; Anxiety About Beneficiaries Is "Not Wanting to Burden Them"

When asked, "What would you prioritize when choosing funeral insurance?", 236 responses (78.7%) cited "Monthly premiums" as the top priority. "Benefit amount" followed with 187 responses (62.3%), "Reliability of the insurance company/product" with 111 responses (37.0%), and "Ease of receiving the insurance payout" with 107 responses (35.7%). This shows that the balance between cost burden and payout amount is the most crucial factor in selection.

Regarding the question, "If you were to enroll in funeral insurance, who would you want as the beneficiary?", "Spouse" was the most common answer at 25.0% (75 people). This was followed by "Children" at 24.3% (73 people), "I don't know who to designate as beneficiary" at 13.3% (40 people), and "Siblings" at 12.0% (36 people). 9.0% (27 people) also stated, "I have no intention of enrolling in funeral insurance," indicating a certain number of people who are not considering enrollment.

In response to the question, "Do you have any anxieties or questions regarding the beneficiary of funeral insurance?", "I'm worried about burdening the beneficiary" was the most common answer with 98 responses (32.7%). "I'm worried about disputes among family members" received 83 responses (27.7%), "I don't know who to designate as beneficiary" received 76 responses (25.3%), and "I don't know if taxes will apply" received 75 responses (25.0%). This indicates that many uncertainties remain regarding the rules and procedures for beneficiaries.

About 85% Don't Want to Burden Family with Funeral Costs, Yet Over 70% "Haven't Discussed It"

When asked, "Regarding your own funeral, would you like to make preparations in advance so as not to burden your family with the costs?", 52.0% (156 people) answered "Somewhat agree," and 33.3% (100 people) answered "Strongly agree," totaling 85.3% (256 people) who have the intention to prepare in advance.

For the question, "Have you discussed funeral costs with your family?", "I want to discuss it, but haven't yet" was the most common answer at 48.7% (146 people). "I don't feel the need to discuss it" was also cited by 27.0% (81 people), and only 4.3% (13 people) responded, "We have discussed it in detail." This reveals a significant gap between the desire to prepare and actual communication.

Regarding the question, "What do you consider a realistic way to prepare for funeral costs?", 228 responses (76.0%) cited "Savings" as the top answer. "Life insurance" followed with 123 responses (41.0%), and "Discussing with family" with 119 responses (39.7%). Only 31 responses (10.3%) mentioned "Funeral insurance."

Conclusion

This survey revealed a significant gap between anxiety and action in all aspects of funeral cost awareness, preparation, and communication. While many people are anxious about costs, only a very small number have accurate knowledge or have discussed it with their families.

Awareness of funeral insurance is also low, and it is not widely recognized as a preparation option. To bridge the gap between the desire not to burden others with costs and actual behavior, there is a need for improved information dissemination and mechanisms to encourage family discussions.

【Survey Overview】

Survey Period: June 5, 2026 - June 11, 2026

Survey Method: Internet Survey

Number of Respondents: 300 people (Valid responses: 300)

【Operator Overview】

Operator: Anshin Shogaku Short Term Insurance Co., Ltd.

Headquarters: 1-11-7 Sakuragi-cho, Omiya-ku, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture

Representative Director: Kenju Yamamoto

Company HP: https://www.ansin-ssi.com/

Operator: MICHIKO Inc.

Headquarters: 6F Wakasugi Bldg., 1-18-18 Nakatsu, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture

Representative Director CEO: Asumi Shimo

Company HP: https://www.mchs.co.jp/